My email came at 4:01 p.m. Subject line: April-May Single Game Purchase Refund Notification. Sender: Rockies Tickets.
We’ve been waiting for word and it was good to get it, but still just deflating to think of all the lovely afternoons and serene evenings we didn’t get to spend at Coors Field.
This was the message single-game ticket holders like me got on Thursday. As Patrick Saunders reports, season-ticket holders got a different message informing them that their money spent on April and May games will be credited to games in the future, in addition to a 10% bonus to apply in the 2020-21 season, or additional games in the current 2020 season if any happen to occur at Coors Field with fans. Saunders also reports that season-ticket holders can also call and ask for a refund if they prefer.
There were 28 Coors Field games schedule for the 2020 season in April and May in the pre-COVID-19 world. These are all the Rockies Ticket office is refunding and crediting at this point as games from June to September are still, like the fate of the 2020 season in general, TBD.
There are more details for people who bought tickets through the Coors Field Box Office, Rockies Dugout stores, and King Soopers, as well as second-hand sellers like StubHub. For more on that, check out the Rockies’ website FAQ page.
On the bright side, the letter to season ticket holders says, “We have been working closely with Major League Baseball on a variety of contingency plans with the goal of playing games, with fans, at Coors Field this season.”
On the depressing side, Saunders says, “More refunds are likely to be needed as the likelihood of baseball being played in front of fans in June or even later this summer diminishes.”
MLB expects to use home ballparks for spring training if plans to play season proceed | USA Today
According to anonymous sources, maybe the MLB is thinking about doing condensed spring trainings at home parks. This would mean the Rockies would train and get ready for a restart to the season at Coors Field. With teams being in the home facilities, the logistics wouldn’t be as hard and the costs could be cheaper.
There are lots of ideas being thrown out right now. It seems premature to say “expects” in the headline, but who knows. Like a character famous baseball movie once said, “Hey, it could happen.”
Kyle Freeland remains focused on return, Rockies’ rebound | The Denver Channel (Denver 7)
Zoom meetings and gatherings have become the new normal. Even for the Rockies starters and pitching coach Steve Foster. Troy Renck caught up with Kyle Freeland who says the Zoom meetings are helpful, that he’s continuing to train and throw, and that he is improving his trick golf shots in his backyard and has put the ball in many red Solo cups. But he’d rather be playing baseball. Freeland also said that he would need about a month to be ready to throw 90 pitches in a game.
Rockies starter Jon Gray discusses layoff from baseball | 1043. The Fan
In this short audio clip, Jon Gray, who is holed up in his home state of Oklahoma while the baseball world is on pause, talks about how he’s training, throwing, and ready to rejoin his teammates. He also says he would only need two or three weeks and he could be ready to start the 2020 season in whatever form it takes.
Ex-manager Clint Hurdle’s daily emails encourage, inspire | AP News
The Associated Press is writing articles for a series called “One Good Thing,” which focuses on stories of kindness during the COIVD-19 pandemic. They found one in former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle.
When Hurdle was managing the Rockies, a decade ago, he started writing daily emails to help support staff. They reflected Hurdle’s leadership and spread inspiration, and the recipients enjoyed them. In May of 2009, Hurdle was fired, but was later contacted by an unnamed Rockies staffer who said she missed Hurdle’s messages. Hurdle started them up again and the email list has grown to include various people he’s meet from baseball players to average people he’s met in his life.
The AP’s Janie McCauley checked in with Hurdle, who’s living in Florida with his family for the pandemic, and found out that his “Daily Encouragement” emails have reached 5,000 recipients. They mean a lot to them, especially coming from a man whose been through a lot, is now sober 21 years, and has a lot of wisdom and optimism.
This is a great article featuring one of the most likable characters in the game, even if he is out of the game now. It also includes a short video of Hurdle talking about his messages.
Here’s who helped Dahl most on path to Majors | MLB.com
During a confusing, stressful, and anxiety-filled time, it’s good to step back and realize what to be grateful for. That’s what David Dahl does in this Thomas Harding article, thanking is parents, his wife, and a hitting coach in Scottsdale, Ariz.
This is the biggest trash talker on every team | MLB.com
The answer is so obvious: Nolan. Wait. What? Nolan?
In a field that’s not super competitive, the MLB.com staff at least labeled this a “misnomer,” but advised other teams not to “get him riled up.” By riled up, they mean throw pitches behind him or hit him with pitches. Just ask Luis Perdomo. I am all for telling other pitchers not to hit Nolan, but I think this means the Rockies don’t talk much trash. I think I’m alright with that.
Colorado Rockies: The top 10 Rockies killers of the past decade | Rox Pile
This analysis comes with a fitting disclaimer: Imagining the Rockies play this lineup makes you glad there is no baseball right now. The infield would be Paul Goldschmidt at first, Max Muncy at second, Trea Turner at shortstop, and Wil Myers at third. Yasiel Puig would be in right, A.J. Pollock in center, and Matt Kemp in left. Clayton Kershaw would be pitching (after beating out Madison Bumgarner, a.k.a “Mason Saunders”) and Buster Posey would be catching.
Yeah, no thanks.